An alumna of Clarion West Writer’s Workshop for science fiction and fantasy, I’ve written for markets like The New York Times and Time Out New York. Currently, I write about sci-fi for Blastr. I also edit the humor competition for The Magazine of Fantasy & Science Fiction. You can follow me on Twitter, Facebook, Google+, and here at Forbes.

Star Wars Episode VII Haters: I Find Your Lack of Faith Disturbing

When it comes to Star Wars, I have no safeword. Jar-Jar? Ooo, yeah, right there. Midichlorians? Thank you, sir, may I have another. Ewoks? YesyesyesYES! There’s a reason I’ve used the language of sadomasochism to describe my relationship with Star Wars. I know on one level that some aspects of Star Wars prequel trilogy (and the Ewoks in Episode 6) didn’t match the epic epicness of the original trilogy. I love them even though it hurts.

When news broke that Disney had acquired Lucasfilm and would be making new Star Wars movies, a part of my brain lit up with the excitement I felt in 1977 and has been sparking every since. But not every fan is as enthused as I am. In fact, in a brief poll of Star Wars fans, reactions have ranged from indifferent to disdainful.

Why so pessimistic? Former fan Dan Delaney said, “I guess for me it was the slow erosion of the original trilogy. Besides the total disaster that was Ep I-III, you generally got the feeling that Lucas didn’t have a vision worth pursuing. He had the leeway to make any movies he wanted, and he made them?”

As Jeremy Drowns, a truck driver from Illinois, said, the future film “means we can expect more Jar-Jar Binks.”

Lee Moyer, an artist/illustrator from Oregan, seems happy…but not the same way I am. “News that [Lucas] can’t screw it around anymore? Fantastic!”

Still others do not trust Disney with the franchise. Jeff Gutman, a singer-songwriter from California, said,

“Ultimate Spider-Man…is an example of some Disney brand corporate synergy meeting driving the creation of a show. I can just picture the meeting: ‘Spider-Man has a new movie coming out so we have to have product. The Avengers was huge – why don’t we create a whole series where Spider-Man is training to be a SHIELD agent? What’s that? Spidey wouldn’t do that? Who cares! Well have Agent Coulson in it for continuity. Oh, and Spidey has to have a racially diverse team of superheroes that fight with him. That way it’ll appeal to all demographics…. Meeting adjourned. This is the kind of corporate marketing driving creative process we can expect from Disney.”

However, not every fan is reacting to this news with fear and loathing. In my poll, several were happy.

Todd Masco, the Texas-based CEO of Pocketdyne, said, “The Avengers movie (and the other recent Marvel Studios adaptations) shows that Disney senior management is willing to give control over to somebody who respects the franchise of a valuable property. For all their faults, Disney does understand that the value of a franchise is the longterm affection of their core fans. They are not going to loot Star Wars for a short term payout, they fully intend to milk such properties for (literally) generations and will make their choices accordingly.”

Louise Howard, a senior software engineer from Virginia, said, “I love that the franchise is going to continue. I can’t wait to see what happens next.”

The Internet is filled with the distant hope that Joss Whedon, the director of The Avengers, may get his hands on the property. For years, fans have been wearing t-shirts that read, “Joss Whedon is my master now,” in the Star Wars font. In August, Joss signed a three-year contract with Disney.

But regardless of Whedon’s potential candidacy, there will be new blood in the Star Wars universe, with new ideas and new stories to tell. I’m excited to the core.

I can’t wait to see more of why I fell in love with Star Wars: the galaxy far, far away; the Force; the struggle between darkness and light. Not even Jar-Jar Binks’ antics could take that away from me. And who knows? Maybe, just maybe, the new movie will be…good.

Post Your Comment

Post Your Reply

Forbes writers have the ability to call out member comments they find particularly interesting. Called-out comments are highlighted across the Forbes network. You'll be notified if your comment is called out.

Comments

There is only one way this trilogy will live up to our collective hopes and dreams – Joss Whedon and Peter Jackson form a hybrid clone that works with Timothy Zahn and uses his novels as the basis for the films.

I am in the camp of people who recognize that this is a FANTASTIC thing for Star Wars as a whole. All of the possibilities have rekindled that excitement for Star Wars that died somewhere during my realization that ROTJ and the prequels were kinda crappy.

Your article sums it up perfectly. Disney is not stupid. They understand that if these films are done WELL they will have won over every Star Wars fan. That means that when a Boba Fett movie or a Darth Bane movie comes out, they will ensure that the characters are respected and that the universe “feels” right and for generations to come, people will keep on coming to see Star Wars- whether it’s part of the main saga or a spin-off. (Marvel has been treated very well with respect to the Avengers)

I have no qualms about the acquisition.

Now as for the movie specifically, I can’t even guess what they’re thinking of doing, but for the sake of maintaining tradition, it would make the most sense for the next trilogy to have Luke’s son as the protagonist and he should be about 21 in Episode VII.

This would allow Hamill, and Ford, and Fischer to reprise their roles but take a back seat to the younger Jedi who fill the New Jedi Order Luke created in those 30 years since ROTJ.

And as for Jedi Master Luke Skywalker, he has had his day. It is only fitting that he be the Yoda of this trilogy and I cannot wait to see him as the wizened, old Grandmaster of the “New Jedi Order” that was rebuilt after the fall of the Empire.

Have Disney actually made it clear at point the new stories would continue from?

Would they tell the full story of the clone wars up until the time of Luke Skywalker, or would they carry on after the death of both Darth Vader and the Emperor in Return of the Jedi?

If they do carry on after ROTJ, who would be the Jedi nights? – would Luke train Leia and possibly any kids she has with Han Solo? who would be the baddies? – would the Sith make a comeback somehow?

From what I can tell, the 6 films to-date have pretty much wrapped up the story with the animated clone wars films filling in the blanks. Although I would probably go and see any news films they release, I’m not entirely sure there is anything left to tell.

Any new baddies they introduce would have to be seriously well written to compete with Vader and I predict that they’ll probably just go for the easy option and introduce the story that Darth Vader himself is actually one of many clones.